Starlight Rising
by ShinobiTrio2374
Summary: The prequel to The Marvelous Misadventures of the Shinobi Trio. Haru wakes up in the Soul Society with supposed amnesia. Hitsugaya finds her, but loses her again when she kills several shinigami with her spiritual pressure. Of course, Aizen is involved.
1. The Backstory Chapter

**Haru: Okay, people, this is a prequel to our other story. Go read that first. And, yes, this is actually a purely Bleach fanfiction. See the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I- we do not own Naruto, X-men, or Apple.**

The Backstory Chapter

Takeshi's head popped off of his pillow, wide-eyed. "Oh shit," he whispered, "we didn't write an outline for the day." He remembered vividly what had happened the last time they had neglected to write an outline for the day. "I've got to fake something."

_FLASHBACK NO JUTSU!_

_"No outline for the day?" Haru asked. "I guess we get to just wing it!"_

_"HUZZAH!" Takeshi yelled. "INDEPENDENCE! Well, I'm off to Iwa!"_

_". . . " Caden was playing with his iPhone._

_"Well, at least have some coffee at Hoshibucks with us first!" Haru replied._

_Takeshi pondered her words. At standard Hengegan-speed Shunshin, it took him 1/10th of a second to reach Iwa. Zephyr wouldn't wake up for another hour. He could go through seven vente mocha frappuccinos in that time, and Haru would be satisfied. "Alright," he said. He would regret it later._

_Haru seated herself in at a table in Hoshibucks' cafe with a caffeinated iced tea for herself, a white chocolate iced tea for Caden (which he had yet to touch, as it was an Internet cafe), and three mocha frappuccinos for Takeshi. Takeshi himself looked wired already, unable to sit still, shifting his giant ramen kusari-gama from hand to hand and shoulder to shoulder._

_"Well, guys, what's up? I figured while we're here, we could trade back-stories. All characters have to eventually, so let's get it over with." Haru smiled warmly, sending a chill through Takeshi_

_"Uh, Anko had a sister, a clone, actually, but basically a sister, and the sister gave birth to me, whereupon she died. Kabuto-teme (may he rot in Orochi-teme's stomach for eternity) killed her, and then tested me by putting a bunch of crap into my body, and seeing how many traits I inherited before dying from over-mutation. Luckily for me, the infusion of Hyuuga, Senju, and Uchiha blood, and the mix of all the gene-altering chemicals, combined with exact conditions, caused the rare Hengegan to form in my body, pulling all the male and female traits apart and leaving me with only the "yang", the male part. The second entity formed with my "yin", the female part (Take-chan), was created in my mindscape and copied all the gene-altering stuff before expelling itself from my body. Then, I broke out of the lab. Kabuto-teme (may he rot in Orochi-teme's stomach for eternity) let me go, thinking I had lost my mind and would rampage, killing everything. I didn't, obviously."_

_Haru deadpanned for the second time that month. "That's kind of depressing. What about you, Caden?"_

_"Deadpool birthed me."_

_"WHAT?"_

_"Just kidding." Caden looked up from his web page (undoubtedly some kind of porn), and gave a Kakashi-style eye smile. "His wife did."_

_"Deadpool married?" Haru raised an eyebrow, wondering who would be that insane._

_"To Anko. The whole thing lasted about two weeks."_

_"And then . . .?"_

_"And that brings us to now."_

_"Okay... well my backstory is a little bit longer than your guys', and just to let you know, I _did_ get all the parts from Toshiro-kun's point of view by 'borrowing' his memories. So here goes . . ." And she went on . . . "In the year 344BCE, . . . " and on . . ."then, the king of the Aztecs, . . . " and on . . . "Christopher Columbus discovered America, and . . ." and on and on . . . "then, Barack Obama became the forty-fourth President of the United States . . ." Caden and Takeshi were snoring now. "Then, an earthquake hit Japan . . ." The clock struck midnight. "and that brings us to... seventy years in the future. And that's the backstory to my backstory. The actual backstory starts in . . . HEY! ARE YOU TWO IGNORING MY BACKSTORY?"_

_"Huh? Wha . . . HOLY SHIZ, LOOK AT THE TIME! I HAD A DATE WITH ZEPHYR TODAY! SHE'S GOING TO KILL ME!"_

_"AND WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING? YOU TOTALLY IGNORED THE BACKSTORY TO MY BACKSTORY!"_

_"LIGHT CLONE JUTSU! TELL IT TO HIM!"_

_"NO! HE ISN'T YOU!"_

_"FINE! TAKE-CHAN! GET OUT HERE AND LISTEN TO HARU'S BACKSTORY!"_

_A green construct appeared next to Takeshi, and Take-chan was pulled out of his body into the world, kicking and screaming, "OH KAMI! NO!"_

_But Takeshi was already gone, having somehow used his speed affinity, Hengegan-speed, Shunshin, and a Swift style ninjutsu all at once._

_Haru seemed at least sated, and began her tale, after binding Take-chan's mouth with several hundred feet of ninja wire._

_KAI!_

**Haru: There you go, my fellow **_**shinigami**_**. The first chapter of Starlight Rising. Please review and stay tuned!**


	2. Fever Dreams

**Haru: Okay, everyone. This is what you've all been patiently waiting for . . . the **_**real**_** first chapter of Starlight Rising! Enjoy! And please review. **

**Disclaimer: Obviously, I do not own Bleach. If I did, Neliel would have made a comeback by now.**

Fever Dreams

_January third. That was the day he found her._

_ He had been lying in a snowdrift, enjoying the serenity of the first snowfall. Looking up at the gray sky, he blinked away the delicate flakes dusting his pale eyelashes. A white blanket of snow covered his small frame. He sighed as a cold zephyr ruffled the tips of his spiky white hair._

_ Suddenly, a high-pitched scream rent the frigid air. He sat up hastily, sending up a flurry of snowflakes. Hearing the scream again, he turned in its direction and began plowing through the ankle-deep snow._

_ A puff of snow swirled above a patch of ice a while off, and he began trudging in that direction. As he approached the drifting cloud, he saw a prone figure lying face-down on the ice, her hair splayed out around her head. _

_ He had rushed to her side (well, slowly plowed through the ankle-deep snow) and knelt at her side. Turning her body over, he observed the blue tint of her lips and the gentle rise and fall of her chest._

"Oi _(Hey)," he said softly as he began to shake her awake. "_Oi_! Wake up! Are you alright?"_

_The girl's eyes snapped open. He gasped in surprise as violet eyes met teal._

" _Where . . . where am I?" whispered the girl as she looked up at him._

"_You're in the 1__st__ district of Rukongai," he had explained, shifting to a more comfortable position._ She was probably just sent here, _thought he as he said, "What's your name?"_

"_Haru." The girl winced slightly and grabbed her head._

"_What's wrong?" he asked._

"_It's nothing," muttered Haru. She propped herself up on one elbow and shivered. "Wait . . . where-"_

"_Rukongai. Oh, sorry, my name's Hitsugaya Toshiro." He stood up and looked at her appraisingly. "Can you stand?"_

"_I . . . I think so . . ." She took the hand Hitsugaya offered and pulled herself up. Almost immediately, she began to sway and grabbed Hitsugaya for support. "Ohhhh. . . maybe not . . ."_

"_Look, we should get you inside," Hitsugaya pointed out as he ducked under her arm and wrapped his arm around her waist, supporting her. _

"_Oh . . . I-" Haru stiffened, clutching her head. She fell to her knees, gasping for breath._

" _Are you alright?" cried Hitsugaya as he knelt down beside her (again). He could see her eyes moving rapidly behind her closed lids. Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth, staining the snow bright red._

_Haru had screamed, a horrible, desperate sound that echoed around the two. She slumped to the ground, unconscious, in front of a frozen Hitsugaya._

_He had sat there, unable to move for several minutes. Finally, he blinked, shedding his paralysis. He remembered having to half-carry, half-drag the girl into the house. His grandmother had helped him settle Haru on their spare pallet. Two days later, the girl developed a raging fever. Hitsugaya remained at her bedside, feeling a strange need to protect this girl he had found in the snow._

_Seven days later, she woke up._

(o0o)

_Haru floated in a sea of darkness. Where am I?, she thought as she closed her eyes again._

_Suddenly, a dagger of white-hot pain seemed to pierce her skull. Crying out in pain, Haru instinctively curled up into a ball._

"_Please . . ." she whispered as the pain synapses in her brain fired off in quick succession._

_A set of features – no, a face formed from the darkness around her body. Warm brown eyes, a delicate nose, a decided mouth. A pair of rectangular glasses perched on his nose. The corners of his mouth curved upwards into a sinister smile. _

"_Who-" Haru croaked, trying to filter out the pain, and failing._

"_Hello, Haru." The voice filled her with a horrible sense of foreboding. In an instant, Haru somehow knew this man was responsible for all the pain she could remember._

"_But you can't remember, can you?" The man's smile widened to more than what was humanly possible._

"_How . . . would you know that?" Haru screamed again as pain arced through her body._

"_Goodbye, Haru." The smile was gone, only to be replaced by a cold, calculating look. Darkness swirled across the face, until there was nothing left but memories._

"_It's time to wake up, Haru," whispered the voice. "Welcome to your living nightmare."_

(o0o)

Hitsugaya stared at the troubled face of the unconscious girl lying in front of him.

_Who are you?_, he asked silently for the thousandth time as he gently wiped her brow, which burned with the heat of fever.

The image of her screaming had seared itself onto his consciousness. Every time he closed his eyes, her tortured cry echoed through his mind. At night, he would lie on his pallet, staring up at the ceiling, until the sun cast its blinding rays on the snow-covered ground outside. He hadn't left in a week, unable to look at the snow in fear of seeing the dark stain of blood tinge the white.

_What did I do to deserve this guilt I feel?_, he asked himself, watching the steady rise and fall of the girl's chest. Incoherent words spilled from her lips as she tossed and turning in her comatose state, trapped in her fevered dreams. Hitsugaya shook his head sadly. _At least it's cold in the house._

Haru moaned softly, curling up into a ball. Hitsugaya's eyes flickered to her pale face. And she screamed.

Hitsugaya flinched, as memories of that day resurfaced unbidden. Her violet eyes gazing deep into his. Her body, lying still on the ice. Her face as she fell back to Earth. Her. Haru.

Haru's back arched up off the sheets as she struggled for breath. Hitsugaya reached for her just as she slumped and began breathing normally again.

"Haru," Hitsugaya whispered, "who are you?"

Her eyes snapped open. Hitsugaya's eyes widened, the only indication of his surprise.

"Where . . . am I . . . this time?" whispered Haru, staring at Hitsugaya as if he were the only thing anchoring her to reality.

"My home," said Hitsugaya, trying to keep the relief out of his voice. "I thought-" He choked up. "We thought . . . you'd never . . ."

"Wake up?" finished Haru softly. Hitsugaya nodded numbly. "Oh."

Hitsugaya was silent for a while, drowning in the fact of her being awake; being alive.

"Anyway, how are you feeling?" Hitsugaya finally asked.

"My head is still pounding." Haru winced, and sighed. "How . . . how long was I out?"

"A couple days."

"A couple . . . days?"

"Yes." Hitsugaya leaned over and felt her forehead. Finding no trace of fever, he withdrew his hand, only to have it seized by Haru.

"Please." Haru looked up at him pleadingly. " Am I really . . ." She swallowed convulsively. "Am I really . . . dead?"

Hitsugaya flinched. "I'm sorry, Haru."

Haru's eyes widened. She released Hitsugaya's hand and shrank back from him. "So I am dead." She squeezed her eyes shut, clasping her shaking hands together. "But I don't remember how I died . . . is that normal?"

"You don't remember?" Hitsugaya said, not bothering to hide his shock.

"No." Haru shivered. "It's like there's a big, empty hole in my memories."

Hitsugaya practically was dying from curiosity, but managed to stop the questions dancing on the tip of his tongue. "_Ano_ (Um), are you hungry?"

"_Ano_-" Haru's stomach growled.

Hitsugaya smirked. "I'm guessing yes." He stood and moved out the door.

"Hitsugaya-san." Hitsugaya froze. _Hitsugaya-san? That one was new._ He almost blushed as he turned to look at Haru.

"Yes?"

"Thank you." Haru smiled sadly. "You brought me to your home and took care of me for so long . . ." She sighed and glanced at the floorboards. "I'm sorry for depriving you of your much needed sleep."

"It's fine," said Hitsugaya said gruffly as he promptly left the room. _Do I really look that bad? _He rubbed his eyes and yawned, padding across the wooden floorboards in his bare feet. Hitsugaya poked his head into the kitchen, when he found Obaa-chan stirring something in a pot. When he entered the room, his grandmother shivered as the temperature in the room dropped several degrees.

"She's woken up, hasn't she," said Hitsugaya's grandmother, without turning around.

"Yes." Hitsugaya leaned against the doorframe. "is the soup done?"

"Just about." Obaa-chan grabbed a waiting bowl and ladled steaming broth into it. She sprinkled minced scallions atop the swirling liquid and handed it to Hitsugaya, who almost dropped it. "Take it to Haru-chan, hmm? It's going to be nice to have a little girl running around the house again. Ever since Momo-chan left, the house has been so quiet without you screaming at her." Obaa-chan winked, and Hitsugaya flushed.

"Wait, who said she was-"

His grandmother looked at him meaningfully, and Hitsugaya shut up. Bed-wetter Momo had left for the shinigami academy a month ago. She came back to visit every week, but Hitsugaya almost missed being called Shiro-chan. Not that he'd ever admit it, of course. Still, things just weren't same without Hinamori.

Returning to Haru's room, he saw her gazing up at the ceiling. Sensing his approach, Haru propped herself up on her elbows and tried to smile.

"I brought you some broth," he said unnecessarily as he sat down beside her pallet.

"Thank you." Haru attempted to push herself up into a sitting position, but grabbed her head with her other hand. She fell back with a thump; Hitsugaya could hear her breath leave her body with a whoosh.

"Are you alright?" cried Hitsugaya in alarm.

Haru's eyes remained shut. She lay like that for about a minute, Hitsugaya hovering over her worriedly.

When she opened her eyes again, they were red.

(o0o)

She had been remembering her vision of him when it came.

As she pushed her body off the ground, the haze cloud across her vision. Tendrils of the darkness snaked across her perception; the pain ripping through her thoughts. She had grabbed her head; did she cry out? But everything else flew out of her mind when she saw him. Her heart dropped as she stared at his face.

"Why?" she whispered through the pain pounding against her temples. "What do you want?"

"Why bother asking?" inquired the man. "You know why."

"I don't . . . do I? Haru gritted her teeth in frustration. "Did I?"

"You'll be dead soon, Haru." The man smiled at her with no trace of emotion in his eyes. "Just as soon as I exhaust your usefulness, then I'll come for you, Haru." The face faded, and the pain subsided.

"Haru? Haru!" The pale face of Hitsugaya Toshiro floated above her consciousness.

Holding onto that image, Haru relaxed, letting her body uncurl from the ball she held it locked in. She looked up into his teal eyes and gasped for the breath frozen before her. And then she knew. _I have to get out of here._

Pushing him aside, she stood on shaky legs. She took several unsteady steps, and broke into a run. Down a corridor, through a door, and she was outside. Stumbling through the snow, nausea hit her like a blow to the head. Haru fell to her knees as blood was brought up from somewhere inside her body and spilled from her cold lips.

Haru watched her life's blood pool atop the snow with a feeling of panic, watching as it melted the flakes down to the dead grass below. As the flow ceased, tears dripped off her nose to mix with the blood around her.

_Am I going to die here?_ She hung her head and rolled onto her back so that she was lying in her own blood.

"Haru?" She heard him running out of the house behind her.

_Go away_, thought Haru. _You're too late._

She saw him skid to a stop next to where she lay. "Haru." He looked horrified at the sight of her body.

"Hey." Haru's voice gave way to a strangled moan.

"You . . . just woke up." Hitsugaya Toshiro surveyed the scene in obvious shock.

"Please . . . leave . . ." Haru heard desperation creep into her tone. "Just . . . let me escape this life." As she uttered the words, she felt their crushing reality settle upon her. _He said he was coming for me_, she thought sadly. _Better to die on my own terms._

"And death is an escape?" His cool teal eyes softened slightly. "Please, Haru, don't leave us- me. How can you just throw your life away? Don't you see any value in life at all?"

"He's going to kill me anyway," whispered Haru, eyes closing as she recalled the terror that had filled her as she looked into those warm brown eyes. "Why not now, before I get hurt again?"

"Haru." She felt pressure on her shoulders and opened her eyes to see Hitsugaya gripping her shoulders, looking at her with pleading eyes. "I can't let you leave. We- Obaa-chan and I . . . why do you think we took you in? Why do you think we didn't leave you to freeze to death in the snow?"

Haru felt her resolve slip away._ I was so ready for death just then_, she thought, _but he broke my resolve. I want to live again. He saved my soul with a couple of words . . ._

"Thank you, Toshi- Hitsugaya-san," said Haru right before she let herself fall backwards into the abyss of unconsciousness.

**Haru: So how was it? Please let me know and I'll post the next chapter as soon as possible.**

**Next chapter: Shiro-chan gets a make-over . . . stay tuned!**


	3. Where did Momo get lipstick?

**Haru: Hi, people! The ex-captain of squad five is back with the second chapter of Starlight Rising! Spoiler warning! Oh, wait . . . that had really bad timing . . . *sigh*.**

**Takeshi: Takeshi was here.**

**Caden: Caden was here too.**

**Haru: . . . WHAT THE HELL, TAKESHI AND CADEN? I TOLD YOU NOT TO MESS WITH MY STORY! *off to change the password to the Shinobi Trio's fanfiction account*.**

**Takeshi: HEY! I gave you advance warning!**

**Haru: . . . you did?**

**Takeshi: Go check your recent texts.**

**Haru: There's nothing there.**

**Takeshi: . . . crap.**

**Caden: I think we should run now.**

**Haru: *pulls out Ichigo's sword***

**Caden: *Shushins away***

**Takeshi: *Changes his Facebook status to "Running from Haru" and uses the "Mitarashi School of Anything Goes Martial Arts Secret Technique: Run Away"* **

**Ranma: It's "Fast Break", you idiot!**

**Haru: *Shunpos after the two, waving Ichigo's sword***

**Ichigo: *Shunpos after Haru* Hey, can I have my sword back?**

**Disclaimer: Only awesomely crazy people like Urahara would think I own Bleach. If I did (Hey, Kubo-san?), Ichigo would decide between Rukia and Orihime already and shut up all those Ichigo/Uryu and the emo Espada whose name I can't spell/Orihime pairing lovers. I mean, those pairings are about as likely as Ichigo ever regaining his Shinigami powers . . . oh, wait. He did. Oops.**

* * *

><p><span>Who the Hell Gave Momo Lipstick?<span>

"Toshiro!" yelled Haru as she ran out of her home. "Hurry up! Momo ni-chan isn't going to wait forever!"

"It's Hitsugaya, not Toshiro," grumbled Hitsugaya as her followed his best friend out into the bright sunlight.

"Whatever, Shiro-chan," snickered Haru as she stopped to wait for him.

Hitsugaya's left eye began twitching. "And definitely not 'Shiro-chan'!" he practically screamed. "It's Hitsugaya!"

"How 'bout 'Shiro-chi'?" Haru stuck her tongue out at Hitsugaya, who stuck a padded teeth guard made especially for such occasions in his mouth. Gnashing his teeth furiously, he glared at the girl. Sure, he put up with 'Shiro-chan" when it came from Bed-wetter Momo, but somehow, it was absolutely infuriating coming from Haru.

"Well, maybe, I should have left you unconscious on the ice," retorted Hitsugaya angrily as he finally caught up with the girl.

Haru stiffened, her face falling. She looked away and bit her lip, wrapping her arms tightly around herself.

Hitsugaya mentally smacked himself._ Why did I bring that up, _he thought unhappily,_ when I know how painful it was for her, Every night she has nightmares about that time in her life and wakes up screaming. Stupid!_

Haru had commenced her trek again while Hitsugaya was spacing out, and he had to jog to keep up. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking when I said that."

Haru gave no indication of having heard, but Hitsugaya she had understood every word he'd said. After several minutes of silence, Haru said, "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you."

Suddenly, the space in front of the two blurred, and Hinamori Momo appeared out of nowhere.

"Momo ni-chan!" cried Haru, as she stumbled backwards in shock. "What did you-"

"It's called _Shunpo_!" Hinamori boasted proudly, interrupting Haru.

"Wait, what? Flash step?" Haru tilted her head in confusion, tapping her lips with a finger.

"It's a technique I learned at Shino Academy," explained Hinamori. "By focusing reiatsu to the-"

"We get it, we get it!" Haru began flailing her limbs wildly, in an attempt to discourage another of Hinamori's "How _this_ technique utilized by _shinigami_ works" lectures.

Hinamori pouted. "Awww, you're no fun, Haru-chan. Anyway, you and Shiro-chan should come to the academy with me."

"Don't you need Spiritual Pressure to become a _shinigami_?" Hitsugaya commented dryly. "If we had any, we would've blown up the house already."

"And I like my life here," added Haru.

"Suit yourselves," shrugged Hinamori.

"Anyway, why did you invite us here?" Haru gestured at the field of grass they stood in.

"I wanted to show you something!" Hinamori beamed, obviously expecting some kind of excited outburst from the other two.

The field was silent for several moments.

"Hn," grunted Hitsugaya noncommittally.

"Okay!" continued Hinamori, trying to hide her disappointment at their lack of reaction. "Can you two head over there?" She pointed to a patch of dirt several yards away.

Hitsugaya and Haru did as she directed.

Hinamori turned to a tree a while off in the opposite direction and put her hand up, palm facing the tree. Gripping her upper arm tightly with the other hand, she recited a string of phrases:

"Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, he who bears the name of human! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south! _Hado_ number thirty-one, _Shakkaho_ (Red fire cannon blast)!"

A sphere of red light formed in front of Hinamori's open palm and shot towards the tree. Splinters flew through the air as the tree exploded.

Beside Hitsugaya, there was a sharp intake of breathe, Hitsugaya turned to a gaping Haru, and then to Hinamori, who stood unperturbed by the explosion.

"Hina . . . mori? Hitsugaya stared at the older girl. "What . . . was that?

"That was _Kido_!" Hinamori grinned happily, walking towards him. "It's a high-level incantation that only _shinigami_ can use. There are three kinds: healing, _Bakudo_, ways of binding, and _Hado_, ways of destruction." As Hinamori explained Hado, her eyes took on a maniacal glint and she rubbed her hands together in anticipation.

"_Sugoi_!" squealed Haru excitedly. "Can you show us _Bakudo_?"

"Sure," said Hinamori, pointing at Haru. "_Bakudo_ number one, _Sai_!"

Haru's arms shot up behind her back into a locked position. Hitsugaya could only stare at her as she fell forwards onto her face.

"Hinamori!" Hitsugaya's teal eyes were wide in panic as her turned to the older girl. "What did you do to her?"

"She'll be fine in an hour or so." Hinamori waved her hand dismissively.

"An hour or so?" Hitsugaya whirled back around to see Haru sitting cross-legged in the grass.

"How . . . how did you throw that off so easily?" gasped Hinamori, her face paling rapidly. "That shouldn't be possible!"

Haru shrugged and pointed at Hinamori. "_Bakudo_ number one, _Sai_!"

Hinamori collapsed, arms locked behind her back.

"Hey, it worked!" cheered Haru.

"Wha-" Hitsugaya stared at his best friend.

Haru grinned at him. "So, are you going to help me carry her back or not?"

Hitsugaya just gawked at her.

"Fine, I'll do it myself." Haru walked over to Hinamori and attempted to scoop her up and failing miserably. Giving up, she began dragging Bed-wetter Momo through the grass. "You comin'?

" Uh, yeah." Hitsugaya followed the girl as she hauled Hinamori across the field. _Who the heck is she_, he marveled.

* * *

><p>"I still can't believe you managed to use a <em>Bakudo<em> incantation without being a _shinigami_," said Momo ni-chan wonderingly.

"Haru, Hitsugaya, and Momo sat outside on the steps leading to Hitsugaya's home, eating watermelon (or in Hitsugaya's case, _inhaling_ watermelon) and star candy. Haru and Hitsugaya were storing the seeds in their mouths for a seed-spitting battle.

"And you said you two had no Spiritual Pressure," pointed out Momo, nudging Hitsugaya. "Ne, Shiro-chan?"

Haru turned to wink knowingly at Hitsugaya at Hitsugaya,. The two looked back at Momo and rapidly spat their mouthfuls of watermelon seeds in her smiling face.

"Hey!" squeaked Momo indignantly. Haru gave her a angelic smile and mouthed, _What did I do?_

"Why does everybody abuse me?" grumbled Momo good-naturedly as she wiped the wet seeds off of her face. "Now for revenge . . ." She tapped her lips with a delicate finger, apparently deep in thought. "Oh, I know!" Momo ni-chan pulled a small silver tube out of the folds of her academy uniform and pulled the cap off to reveal a stick of red material. "Lipstick! _Bakudo_ number one, _Sai_!" She pointed at Hitsugaya, who toppled forwards, a stunned look on his face.

Haru's eyes widened as Momo ni-chan pounced on Hitsugaya with a battle cry, welding the tube like a sword.

"What the heck!" yelled Hitsugaya as Momo smeared the red stuff on his face, giving him a brick red mustache.

Haru began laughing uncontrollably. Hitsugaya flailed around like a fish out of water, with Momo holding on for dear life.

"Hold still," protested Momo attempting to streak Hitsugaya's white hair with red.

"Get off me, Bed-wetter Momo," growled Hitsugaya, finally throwing the older girl off and scrambling to his feet. He ran off, arms still locked behind his back.

"Come back, Shiro-chan!" wailed Momo ni-chan, getting to feet. "I wasn't done yet! Her form blurred and reappeared in front of Hitsugaya, who let out a very undignified "Eeep!"

Haru rolled around on the ground laughing as Hitsugaya began screaming again. Tears streamed out of her eyes as she heard Momo say, "Okay, I'm done!" Sitting up, she saw that Hitsugaya had red hearts drawn all over his face. _Momo ni-chan actually did a nice job with his hair_, thought Haru, appraising Hitsugaya's new look.

"I like it," called Haru, waving at the two.

"Great!" replied Momo. She held up the tube of . . . what was it, lipstick? "Now it's your turn."

Haru's face paled. She stared at Momo in horror.

"Just kidding!" Momo winked at Haru, and _Shunpoed_ over to the empty plate of watermelon. Picking it up, she ran inside the house.

Haru stood up and looked over at Hitsugaya, who was trudging back to the house, the lipstick smeared all over his face. She waved to him , yelling, " Hurry up, Hitsugaya-kun!"

"Hn." Hitsugaya finally reached her and they walked back inside together.

_Five minutes later . . . _

"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?" screamed Obaa-chan, staring in horror at Hitsugaya, who pointed to Momo ni-chan. Obaa-chan slowly turned on Momo, who quickly ducked behind Haru.

"You should probably run now," whispered Haru. Momo only nodded as the hulking form of Obaa-chan cast a large shadow upon the two.

_Five minutes later . . . _

"HELP!" screamed Hinamori Momo as she tore through the streets of _Junrinan_, pursued by an angry Obaa-chan.

Haru and Hitsugaya sighed in unison, watching a massive cloud of dust floated up over the 1st district of West _Rukongai_.

"You know, I almost feel bad for Bed-wetter Momo," commented Hitsugaya as he shoveled a handful of star candy into his mouth. "Almost."

* * *

><p><strong>Haru: <strong>_**YOSH**_**! There you go, Chappies! Please let me know how I did! This means . . . reviews! (Hopefully) Thank you to all those who favorited this story. I love you guys! **

**Takeshi: Oh, god. Did you just say . . ."**_**yosh**_**"?**

**Haru: . . . so?**

**Takeshi: *coughs* Rock *cough cough* Lee *cough * **

**Haru: Excuse me?**

**Takeshi: Oh, nothing.**

**Rock Lee: **_**YOSH**_**!Did some youthful person call my name?**

**Takeshi: *gags* Wow, even the same number of exclamation marks.**

**Haru: *pulls out Ichigo's sword***

**Takeshi: Is that your solution to everything?**

**Haru: *pulls out Takeshi's enchanted ramen **_**kusari-gama**_** and begins eating it***

**Takeshi: Really? Really, Haru? How does that answer my question?**

**Haru: It doesn't. I'm just hungry.**

**Takeshi: Hey, I have an enchanted ramen **_**kusari-gama**_** that looks just like that one!**

**Haru: *facepalms***


End file.
